


Such Pretty Forks in the Road

by CityofEmeralds



Series: Such Pretty Forks in the Road [1]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Athena Grant and Bobby Nash are Evan "Buck" Buckley's Parents, Dysfunctional Family, F/M, Family Feels, Foster Care, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Overdosing, Protective Bobby Nash, Protective Siblings, or at least they might be one day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:07:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25918567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CityofEmeralds/pseuds/CityofEmeralds
Summary: “9-1-1, what is your emergency?”“Help, please help! My mom’s unconscious. I think she might have overdosed.”OrMaddie calls 9-1-1 after she finds her mother passed out in the kitchen. Bobby and the rest of the team respond.
Relationships: Athena Grant/Bobby Nash, Bobby Nash & Firehouse 118 Crew, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Bobby Nash, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Maddie Buckley, Maddie Buckley & Bobby Nash
Series: Such Pretty Forks in the Road [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1895476
Comments: 17
Kudos: 156
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	Such Pretty Forks in the Road

**Author's Note:**

> Maddie and Buck are children in this story (aged 16 and 5). Everyone else is the same age as they are in the show. 
> 
> Also, Bobby and Athena are registered foster parents.

“9-1-1, what is your emergency?”

“Help, please help! My mom’s unconscious. I think she might have overdosed.”

…

Bobby sat in the passenger seat of the fire engine as it pulled up in front of a mid-rise apartment building.

Eddie, Chim and Hen were in the vehicle with him. They were all dressed in casual clothes: t-shirts, trousers and steel toe boots. The team had been in the middle of exercising and didn’t have time to change into their duty wear, because of the urgent call. 

After exiting the truck, Bobby adjusted his suspenders, which had slipped off of his shoulders during the ride. He proceeded to scan the environment while notifying dispatch of their arrival, requesting any additional information about the scene that they were about to enter. 

The dispatcher complied, giving the firefighters a basic rundown of what they had learned from the 9-1-1 caller, including the location and medical status of the person requiring assistance. 

Bobby arrived on the fifth floor within minutes; Chim, Hen and Eddie trailed closely behind. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, amping him up. He loved the natural high he received from his work. 

Bobby pounded on the door of unit 524 and shouted, “LAFD!” 

“The door’s open!” A muffled voice responded from inside of the apartment. 

The captain opened the front door and entered the home. 

Bobby saw a young teenager who looked around the same age as May. Light brown hair framed her heart-shaped face and descended down her back. She was tall and slim. Ripped jeans and tank top hung off of her body. 

She was leaning over an older woman, who was lying on the kitchen floor, unconscious. Small, blue pills were scattered around her lifeless body. 

The teen was in the process of performing CPR, rhythmically pressing against her mother’s torso. Her form wasn’t perfect but it was getting the job done, which was about as much as they could ask from a civilian. 

“Hi, what’s your name?” Bobby greeted, gently. 

“Maddie, Maddie Buckley.”

“Nice to meet you Maddie, I’m Bobby. This is Hen, Chim and Eddie, we’re gonna help your mom as best as we can.” 

“Okay,” the girl sniffled, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her shirt. She shuffled backwards, allowing room for Chim and Hen to attend to her mom. Maddie’s chest heaved with exhaustion. Bobby knew from personal experience how much energy it took to perform CPR for an extended period of time. 

“Did you make the 9-1-1 call?” Eddie inquired. 

“Y-yeah, we just got home from school when we found her on the floor. I called 9-1-1 right away. She—she wasn’t breathing, so I started doing chest compressions,” she whispered, roughly, tears streaming down her face. “But I don’t think it helped.” 

“You did a good job,” Eddie praised. “That’s exactly what we recommend doing in a situation like this.”

“Do you know how long she’s been unconscious?” Hen asked as she checked Mrs. Buckley’s vitals. 

The teenager shook her head, “I don't know. She was okay in the morning. Oh God, what if she’s been lying here for hours with no one around to help.” 

Hen and Chim exchanged a knowing look with each other. 

Bobby surveyed the scene, while listening to the conversation that was occurring beside him. It took a few moments, but eventually, a realization dawned on him. 

“We,” he stated, staring blankly ahead. Hen, Chim and Eddie gazed at him with confused looks on their faces.

“What?” Eddie asked, on behalf of his fellow firefighters. 

Bobby directed his attention towards the teenager. “You said, ‘ _we_ got home from school’. Who were you talking about? Is there somebody else in the apartment?” They needed to know if there were any external threats. 

Maddie nodded. Her affirmation immediately caused Bobby’s heart rate to skyrocket. 

“My brother. His name’s Evan but he goes by Buck. I picked him up from kindergarten today. When we came home and I saw mom lying here on the floor, I knew that I had to get him out of here as soon as possible. I think he’s in his room.” 

The captain swore under his breath. After barking orders at his team, he proceeded to exit the kitchen and traverse the hallway. 

The first door he came across must have been the entrance to Maddie’s room. He took a moment to look inside. The space was tidy, almost immaculate. The walls were painted a shade of light blue and lined with off-white trim. A few stuffed animals were tucked into the chocolate brown comforter that was draped over the bed. 

Bobby continued down the hallway, passing a bathroom before stumbling across a child’s bedroom. 

He crossed the threshold and couldn’t help but smile. It looked so much like Harry’s room at home. Toys were strewn over the floor. The bed was unmade, covers rumpled and tossed aside. A Spider-Man backpack lay at the foot of the bed, next to the closet. It definitely looked like a kindergartener lived here. 

The fire captain glanced around the room, trying to find Buck, but the child was nowhere to be seen. 

“Buck?” Bobby called out. He desperately needed to determine where the boy had gone. 

Silence filled the room. 

Bobby strained his ears, hoping that he’d hear something. He was in luck, because a few seconds later he heard a small whimper emanate from within the closet. 

The captain knocked firmly on the closet door, alerting the child of his presence before opening it and peering inside. 

Located in the corner of the closet was a boy with blonde hair and a prominent birthmark over his eye. His fair skin was dotted with small freckles that were just barely visible. The child was backed against the wall and curled into a tight ball as if trying to blend in with the clothes that were hanging from the racks. 

“Hey, Buck,” Bobby whispered in the softest voice possible. “My name’s Bobby. I’m a firefighter. Your sister sent me to find you.”

Buck refused to make eye contact with the captain and instead, opted to look down at his lap where a small bunny lay. 

“Can you come out?” 

Once again, the child didn’t respond. 

“Alright, do you mind if I talk to you from over here?” 

Bobby studied the child intently, looking for any signs that he might be uncomfortable, before arranging himself in a cross-legged position and leaning against the doorframe. His body groaned in protest, reminding him that he was no longer a young man. 

“I like your bunny, does it have a name?”

Bobby waited, providing time for Buck to respond. The kindergartener glanced at Bobby for a second but quickly redirected his attention back towards his bunny. 

At least Buck seemed to be somewhat aware of his surroundings. That was a good sign. 

“My son, Harry, has a stuffed dog named Blue. I know, not the most creative name for a plush, but he loved Blue’s Clues when he was little and the name just stuck. Harry used to take Blue everywhere with him—the park, the dentist, even when he used the toilet. I remember traveling half way across LA after Harry lost him on a school trip. The lengths that I would go to for that kid and his stuffed animal…” Bobby trailed off, thinking about his stepson. 

He continued the one-sided conversation, rambling on about insignificant topics in an attempt to build a rapport with the child. After a few minutes, Bobby could see the tension drain from Buck’s shoulders as the boy slowly uncurled from his position in the closet. 

“Cap?” Eddie asked, his voice crackling over the radio, inadvertently startling both Bobby and Buck. 

Bobby quickly grabbed the radio, lowering the volume, so it wasn’t quite as loud. 

“What’s up?”

“Hen and Chim are on their way to the hospital with Mrs. Buckley right now. I’m keeping Maddie company outside of the apartment building until Marisol Lopez from DCFS arrives. You can come out with the kid whenever you’re ready.”

“10-4. Thanks, Eddie.”

The captain turned towards Buck, addressing him directly. 

“Hey, Buck. Your sister’s outside, would you like to see her?” 

A pained look suddenly appeared on his face.

Trying to sooth any discomfort or trepidation that Buck was experiencing, Bobby suggested, “If you’d like, I can carry you down the stairs and you can keep your eyes closed the whole time. You don’t have to do anything.”

Buck stared with intensity, sizing the captain up and down, before ultimately deciding to accept his offer. The child reached out slowly, latching onto the firefighter. 

Bobby’s arms wrapped around Buck, squeezing him gently. The child seemed to find comfort in the pressure, leaning into the captain. 

“Are your eyes closed?” Bobby asked, pausing for a moment until he felt the child nod into his shoulder. 

“Alright, keep ‘em closed until I tell you to open them, okay?” 

Another nod. 

And with that, Bobby opened the door and stepped into the hallway, bypassing the kitchen along the way. It looked like a tornado had swept through the room. The firefighters had been preoccupied with the health and wellbeing of Mrs. Buckley; they didn’t worry about the state of the apartment. 

The fire captain said a small prayer, eternally grateful that Buck had closed his eyes. The boy’s day had been traumatic enough, he didn’t need to witness the aftermath of the rescue. 

Bobby continued out of the unit, down the elevator and through the front doors. 

Once he reached street level, the captain scanned the area looking for Eddie and Maddie. It only took a few seconds to find them standing on the sidewalk. Eddie made eye contact with Bobby before turning towards Maddie, whispering something in her ear and then walking towards the fire engine, leaving the teenager alone. 

“Hey, look who’s over here,” the captain exclaimed, pointing to the teenager. 

Buck’s face lit up at the sight of his sister. He started to squirm, pulling on Bobby’s suspenders, silently begging the firefighter to move faster. When they finally arrived on the sidewalk, Buck practically threw himself into Maddie’s arms, causing her to lurch forward. She was clearly unprepared for the additional weight of the small boy and his bunny. Bobby helped support the bottom half of Buck until the transfer could be made safely. 

The child laid his head on his sister’s shoulder and sighed deeply. One of his hands was wrapped tightly around his bunny and the other one was stretched out, still gripping onto Bobby’s suspenders. 

The fire captain tried to pull away gently but Buck refused to release his grasp. He looked at Maddie over the top of Buck’s head and shrugged, unsure of what to do. 

“It’s okay,” Maddie whispered, her words seemingly directed towards Buck and Bobby. 

The teenager bopped her brother up and down, while gently rubbing his back using slow, circular motions, careful not to dislodge Buck’s hand. 

Bobby gazed at the siblings and smiled, the sight of them reuniting made him feel a sense of peace.

“How’re you doing, Maddie?” 

This time, it was Maddie’s turn to shrug. Instead of providing an answer, she paused, appearing to gather her thoughts and then asked a question of her own, “Do you know what’s going to happen to us?”

The feeling of contentment immediately evaporated. Bobby was not expecting the teenager to ask such a direct question. “Well,” he said, choosing his words wisely, “a social worker from the Department of Children and Family Services should arrive within the next half an hour to take you and Buck into emergency foster care until you can be moved somewhere more permanent. Do you have any family that might be able to look after you? Any aunts or uncles? Maybe grandparents?” 

Maddie whimpered, “It's just us.” 

“What about your dad? Is he in the picture?”

Bobby saw a shudder run through Maddie’s body. She shook her head rapidly, “No, he’s—he’s gone.”

Bobby’s eyes flickered between the children, watching them carefully. 

The teen’s breath came out in small pants as if she had just finished a marathon. She dislodged one of her hands that was wrapped around her brother and reached towards her face, pulling at her hair. The jagged and aggressive movements showed her true state of mind, despite her calm and collected façade. 

Meanwhile, Buck pressed into Maddie even further. From Bobby’s vantage point, the boy’s face looked ashen. Sweat dripped from his forehead. It looked like he might throw up. 

The captain could see how his question had affected the Buckley siblings and decided to discontinue this line of questioning. 

“Okay, that’s good to know. Thank you for being honest with me.” 

Silence hung in the air for a moment. 

“Wha—” tears formed in Maddie’s eyes and slowly trickled down her face, landing on Buck’s head that was tucked under her chin. “Is—” she tried again, a sob leaving her body. Bobby could tell that she was starting to lose any semblance of composure. The events from earlier that day seemed to be catching up with her now that the adrenaline had worn off. 

She took a deep breath and looked directly at Bobby, gazing into his very soul. 

“Is my mom going to be okay?” 

Bobby’s heart broke in half. Based on what he had witnessed in the apartment, it was likely that Mrs. Buckley would not survive. 

“I don’t know,” the fire captain replied. He didn’t want to scare them, but he also didn’t want to lie. “My team is taking care of her and they’re gonna do everything they can to help.” 

Maddie nodded, her shoulders shaking. She turned her body away from the captain as if trying to shield herself.

When Bobby looked at the children in front of him, he couldn’t help thinking about Robert and Brook and May and Harry. Before he realized what he was doing, he was reaching out towards Maddie, placing a hand gently on her arm. 

At first, she flinched, not expecting the touch, but after a second, she leaned into the sensation. The trio stood like that for a while, taking comfort in one another’s presence. 

After a minute or two, Bobby heard somebody come up behind him. Glancing over his left shoulder, he saw Athena out of the corner of his eye. Removing his hand from Maddie’s arm, he turned to greet his wife. 

Sometimes, the very sight of Athena took Bobby’s breath away. She was absolutely gorgeous. When her warm brown eyes gazed into his own, he couldn’t help but feel loved. He worked everyday to be a good husband to Athena and a good father to his stepchildren. They were his entire world.

“Captain,” Athena said, playing coy, her voice rough and sultry. 

“Sergeant,” Bobby replied, clearing his throat and attempting to match her tone of voice. 

Athena paused, quickly glancing between Bobby, Maddie and Buck. Her gaze seemed to linger on Buck’s hand, which was still wrapped around her husband’s suspenders. 

“What’s going on here? It looks like you met some new friends today."

The fire captain’s lips twitched upwards, forming a small smile, “Athena, this is Maddie and Evan Buckley, but he,” gesturing to the young boy, “prefers to go by Buck. Guys, this is my wife, Athena.”

Athena hummed, taking in the new information. “So, if he’s Buck, do I have to call you Buckette?” 

Maddie smiled bashfully, shaking her head while wiping a tear away, “No, Maddie is fine, thank you.” 

“Well, it’s nice to meet you both.” The sergeant glanced at the Buckleys again, trying to figure out what had happened prior to her arrival. She shook her head, quickly realizing its futility, and turned to face her husband. “Is someone from DCFS on the way?” 

Bobby nodded, “Yeah, Eddie said that Marisol had been contacted. She should be here within the next few minutes.”

Just as Athena was about to respond, a silver sedan pulled up beside them. 

“Speak of the devil and she will come,” Athena whispered under breath so only Bobby could hear. 

The first responders watched intently as a young Latina exited the car. She had dark brown hair and tanned skin that seemed to glow in the sunlight. Tortoise shell glasses sat upon her slender face, drawing attention to her eyes. 

“Afternoon, Marisol,” the sergeant greeted. “How’re you doing?” 

The first responders had met Marisol a few times before when DCFS was called to the scene. From their experience, she always tried her best to support the children and families in her care even though she was overworked and underpaid. 

Bobby and Athena had dealt with a multitude of DCFS workers over the past few years in their lives, especially in their role as foster parents. Some social workers were extremely competent and others...weren’t. 

“Good, thank you. Always glad to see you,” she said, extending her hand towards Athena and Bobby, who reciprocated the action, shaking hands. 

Then, she shifted her attention towards the siblings, “And you must be Maddie and Evan Buckley.”

The teenager smiled slightly, while Buck remained impassive. 

Marisol seemed unphased by the lack of response from both Buckleys and continued without pause, “Well, it’s nice to meet you, although I wish it was under better circumstances. Have Athena and Bobby told you what’s going to happen?”

Maddie ran a hand through her hair and shrugged, “Yeah, kinda. Bobby said that we're gonna be placed into foster care.”

“That’s right. I’ve been reaching out to my contacts, trying to find a temporary placement for you and your brother until we can come up with a long-term solution. I’ll be able to answer any other questions that you have later, but right now, we’ve got to get going. We’re running a bit behind schedule. It’s time to say goodbye to Bobby and Athena.” 

Maddie looked startled, like a deer in the headlights. 

“O-Oh, okay,” the teen stuttered, unsure of exactly what to do. She started pulling away, distancing herself from the first responders, which caused Buck to lose his grip on Bobby’s suspenders. 

Buck let out a horrifying shriek that struck Bobby to his core. It was the loudest sound that he had made all afternoon. The child reached out towards the captain, trying to regain contact. His breath hitched as he wailed, unable to regulate his emotions. He thrashed his body back and forth, making it difficult for his sister to continue holding him.

Bobby wanted to soothe the boy but he couldn’t move from his position on the sidewalk. He was completely paralyzed.

Maddie tried to calm her brother but nothing helped. She ended up carrying the screaming child into the sedan, buckling him into the car seat that was installed in the back. The teenager lingered on the sidewalk for a moment, prolonging the inevitable. Eventually, she slipped into the vehicle. 

Bobby refused to look away from the kids, even as the car drove away. He could faintly feel somebody—Athena—place their hand on his shoulder. His knees buckled, unable to support the weight of his body, which was seemingly growing heavier and heavier by the second. Bobby leaned against Athena, exposing his vulnerable mindset. His vision faded in and out of focus.

“We’ll make sure they’re okay,” she said, providing a modicum of comfort. 

Bobby nodded, not quite taking in Athena’s words. 

“I’ll call Marisol tomorrow and figure out where they are being placed.” 

The captain ran his hand across his face, trying to clear his head. “Sorry, Athena,” he murmured, his voice rough with emotion, “I’m not sure why I’m so attached to these kids. It’s so unprofessional. We meet lots of kids on the job and I always try to maintain boundaries, but these two...” 

“Robert Nash, you look at me,” Athena ordered, interrupting his train of thought. She waited until he complied with her request and then continued, “You have such a big heart. It’s one of the things I love most about you. Don’t apologize for caring about others. Understood?” 

Bobby nodded again, this time truly meaning it. Athena’s words had finally gotten through his thick skull. 

He reached out, gently tilting her face towards him and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. Bobby wished that the moment could last forever. 

“I love you,” he whispered against her mouth. 

She gazed up at him and whispered back, “I love you too. Never doubt that.”

A sudden roar emanated from the fire engine, disrupting the peaceful moment. Bobby glanced towards the vehicle and realized that Eddie was ready to go. He said goodbye to his wife and promised to make her favourite chicken and rice dish when he got home from his shift. 

The captain climbed into the cab and looked out the window. A dense fog settled over him once again, numbing the world around him. Even through the grey mist, he couldn’t help but think about Maddie and Buck. Thoughts of those children haunted him all the way back to the station.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi folks, 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this story. Feel free to leave a comment or kudos! 
> 
> ~CityofEmeralds


End file.
